The present invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for supporting the walls of appliances and the like during foaming, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for facilitating a quick changeover in foaming different models of appliances such as refrigerators or freezers.
During the manufacture of certain appliances, and particularly appliances such as refrigerators and freezers, the space between the interior and exterior walls of the appliance is filled with an insulating material. This material is commonly urethane foam. During the curing of this injected foam, the foam tends to expand and thus exerts significant pressures on the interior and exterior walls of the appliance. Unless the surfaces of these walls are supported during the curing of the foam, bulges will form in the walls, thereby adversely affecting the appearance of the appliance. To avoid this undesired bulging and distortion of the appliance walls, it is necessary to fully support all of the interior and exterior surfaces of the appliance during the foaming operation.
Presently existing apparatus for foaming appliances and supporting the walls during such process generally includes a plurality of exterior, removable side panels which are adapted for movement into communication with the exterior surfaces of the appliance during foaming. Such apparatus also includes a plug comprising a plurality of interior, removable support panels for insertion into the interior portion of the appliance and for supporting the interior surfaces of the appliance during foaming.
One problem with this current apparatus is that the process of changing from one model of an appliance to another, or from one shape or size of appliance to another, is extremely time consuming. To accommodate such a change, one set of panels must be lifted off or removed from the apparatus and a second set attached. In some cases, this change can be several hours or more. As a result, companies which manufacture appliances such as refrigerators or freezers tend to limit the number of changeovers as much as possible, perhaps every two weeks or so. With smaller companies, or with smaller runs where only a limited number of appliances are foamed, the changeover must occur more often. Because of the time involved, this necessarily increases the overall cost of the appliance.
Although efforts have been made to reduce the changeover time for apparatus of this type, no particular success has thus far been achieved. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an apparatus and method for supporting the walls of appliances such as refrigerators, freezers and the like during foaming in which the changeover time, from one model to another, is significantly reduced and in which the changeover can be automatically controlled and preprogrammed.